Government Attack Against Homeschoolers Takes Unexpected Turn

On Monday the sober news that the Supreme Court was not going to take up the German homeschool family case brought cries of anger all across the Internet. The Romeike family had originally been granted asylum in the United States when German authorities had threatened to seize their children for simply homeschooling them. But last year, for some reason the Obama administration decided to challenge the asylum and seek to deport this homeschooling family back to Germany. As of Monday, it seemed like the hope of keeping Romeike family here in the U.S. was gone. But in a sudden reversal that was never expected, the Homeland Security department contacted Home School Legal Defense (HSLDA) and informed them that they were not going to pursue having the Romeikes deported. This case drew national attention and it is possible that in an election year this became too hot of an issue for the Obama administration. We have HSLDA to thank for keeping pressure on the government's attacks on homeschoolers. Earlier this year HSLDA opposed the U.S. Department of Education's attempt to collect data from homeschoolers who move from one state to another.

U.S. Supreme Court Orders Obama Administration to Explain Why They Want to Deport German Homeschool Family

After fleeing persecution for homeschooling in Germany in 2008, the Romeike family was granted asylum by Immigration Judge Lawrence O. Burman in 2010. The Obama administration revoked their asylum in 2012 and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the administration’s position saying that Germany was merely enforcing a general law regarding truants. HSLDA appealed to the Supreme Court on October 10, 2013. The Supreme Court ordered Attorney General Eric Holder to respond in writing to Home School Legal Defense Association’s petition on behalf of the Romeikes. “The government initially waived its right to respond, apparently thinking that Romeike v. Holder wasn’t worthy of the Court’s consideration,” Mason said. “Clearly someone in the Supreme Court disagrees. " In a separate recent case, an immigration judge ruled that Obama’s uncle could stay here even though he came to the United States illegally.